Apparatus for separating dross from molten lead.



J. 0. BARDILL. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING DROSS PROM MOLTBN LEAD.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1911. 1,01 3,635. Patented Jan. 2,1912.

2SHEETSSHEBT 1.

Patented J an. 2, 1912.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 1911 au-hf hi I Y s 'r I came.

0. BARIDILL, 0F HERCULANEUM, MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR- SIEPABATING DROSS FROM MOLTEN LEAD.

misses;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 3, 1911.

Patenteddan. 2,1912. Serial No. 631,103.

To all whom it may concern Be'it known that 1, JOHN O. BARDILL, acitizen of the United States of America, residing "at Herculaneum, inthe county of Jefierson and State of Missouri, have invented cert-ainnew and useful Improvements in Apparatuses for Separating Dross fromMolten Lead, of which the following is a full, clear, and accuratedescription,

'in the past been accomplished by the injection ofsteam into masses ofmolten lead, and

such apparatus has been quite efficient to produce the desired result.The steam, however, has been commonly generated at a distance from themolten lead into which it was to be injected and it has been a matter offrequent occurrence for the steam to be come condensed before it wasdelivered into the molten lead with the very obvious con sequence ofpermitting drops of water to enter into the molten lead and causeexplosions or such disturbances of the lead as to spatter it from thecontainers to such degree as to greatly endanger workmen en gaged intheir duties in proximity to the molten metal intended to be agitated bytheinjection of steam thereinto. It is of course a well known-fact thatsteam or vaporized water may be injected into molten metal to providefor disturbance and agitaation thereof in a limited degree, provided theheat of the metal be not of too great a degree, whereas if a drop ofwater'is injected into the same metal, there will, in all-likelihoodbean explosion or very violent agitation of the metal entirely difierentfrom the mild agitation produced by the injection of steam only. v

It is the object of my invention to provide ran apparatus in t e use ofwhich steam is generated from we r by the heat of the molten metal intowhich the steam is to be introduced and which, therefore, provides forthe production of steam in such manner and the delivery thereof into themolten metal in such manner as to avoid condensation of the steam andthe injection of drops of water into the molten metal.

Figure I is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section ofmy apparatus in position for service in akettle containing molten lead,the kettle being shown in vertical section. Fig. II is a top or planview of-my apparatus. ,Fig. 111 is an enlarged vertical section, partlybroken out, through the generator and filter of my apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings :-A designates a kettle such as commonlyused as a container for molten lead when it is to be treated after ithas been smelted from its ore for the purpose of removing the drosspresent in the metal,

My apparatus is intended to be supported above and extending into thekettle A by a. support that preferably comprises a supporting or bridgebar 1, the ends of which are mounted in pedestals 2 that may be seatedon the rim of the kettle, or the top of the furnace iii which the kettleis seated to provide for the maintenance of a certain degree oftemperature in molten lead that is to be subjected to agitation. Thesupport 'ing bar 1 is provided intermediate of its ends with a bracketmember 3 that serves in connection with the supporting bar as a upportfor the generator and the filter of my apparatus.

.4 designates the shell of a generator that extends downwardly from thesupporting rod 1 and is closed at its lowerend preferably by ,a cap 5.Within the generator shell and concentric therewith is a waterconducting pipe 6, the lower open end of which preferably located inproximity to the lower end .of the shall so that water delivered throughsaid pipe is \emptied therefrom at or near the bottom of the generatorand at a point. remote from 'the steam'escape opening at the upper'endof the generator to be presently referred to. The generator prcfen.

ably includes a union 7 located at the upper end of the shell Land inwhich is an escape opening 8 for steam generator. i v

'9 is a steam pipe or, leg leading from the steam escape opening 8 ofthe generator and located exteriorly of the generator shell, the

pipe preferably extending parallelto the produced, within the generatorshell and having its lower end held to the shell by a bracket arm 10,(see Fig. I).

1 1 designates a coupling above the union 'hole 14 that registers withthe duct 11 in "the coupling 1.1 which leads to the water conductingpipe 6. The jet platelS is pre erably seated on the packing washer "5 toprovide for a close joint between the plate and the seat therefor in thecoupling 11 and prevent the passage of water beneath the jet plate,which may be necessary that any downward passage of water beyond the jetplate shall take place through the jet hole in the plate.

16 designates a filter shell stir-mounting the coupling; 11 and havingits lower end seated in said coupling so as to rest firmly on the jetplate 13 and hold it positively to the seat provided therefor. In thelower end ot-the'tilter shell is a duct 1'? through which water enteringinto and passing through the filter of my apparatus may gain access tothe jet plate 13.

18 is a water delivery pipe leadingto the filter shell 16 and preferablyprovided with a valve 19.

In the filter shell 16 is a suitable filtering material 20, preferablysponges this material being arranged in two layers, one of which isarranged above a screen 21 at the bottom of the shell above the duct 17and the other of which is arranged above a screen 22. The filteringmaterial 20 performs the ofiice of removing foreign matter from thewater that is delivered into the filter shell 16, so that any solidmatter present in the water will be caught in the filter and not passedto the jet plate 13 to clog the jet hole therein.

In the generator shell 4 is a body of heat. transmittingmaterial23,preferably iron borings, through which the water percolates afterescaping from thelowcr end of the water conducting pipe 6. This heat conducting material serves to transmit heat communicated thereto from theshell of the generator to the water delivered into said shell, and italso serves to restrain the water from rapid flow in the generator inorder that there may be ample opportunity from the generation of steamfrom such water before it rises to the steam escape opening of thegenerator.

In the practical use of my apparatus, the water introduced into thelilter of the ap paratus passes slowly therethrough and, as

It is to be understood that while the ap-' paratus is in use, thegenerator thereof and the steam pipe 9 are immersed in the molten leadthat is to be agitated by the entrance of steam thcreinto and thegenerator is, therefore, heated to a sutlicient degree to vaporize thewater before it has had an opportunity to rise to any considerableheight in the generator shell. 'lherelorc, while the apparatus is inuse, the upper end of thcgeueratorreceives steam only and this steam isdischarged through the steam escape opening 8 and passes therefromthrough the steam pipe 9 into the mass of molten lead to createdisturbance and agitation thereof with the desired result oi causing thedross in the lead to rise to the surface of the lead. inasmuch as thewater for the generation of steam is introduced gradually into thegcnerator and the heat from the molten lead is sullieient to rapidlygenerate steam from this water, there is no opportunity for passage ofwater to the steani pipe 9, nor any opporti'mityfor condensation ofsteam resulting in the injection of any drops of water into the moltenlead with the consequent result and danger incident thereto hereinbetorementioned;

In view of the possibility of my appa ratus being introduced intoamolten mass of lead at a time when drops of moisture might be presentthereon, I provide as a safeguard ashield 24: that surrounds thegenerator of the apparatus and serves to prevent the sputtering of molen metal to such an extent as to greatly endanger the lives of workmenintroducing the apparatus into its position of service, in the eventofviolent agitation of the metal.

While I. have described my apparatus as intended more particularly foruse inagitating lead. in the separation of dross therefrom, I wish itunderstood that I do not limit myself to its use for agitating thisspecific metal; and it may be used in agitating any other metal it wouldbe serviceable for agitating with the object in view herein pointed outwith respect to lead.

I claim I 1. ln an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steamgenerator shell, a steam conducting pipe having communication with theupper portion of said generate' r shell and having an open discharge endlocated shell andthe open end of the steam pipe bei ing adapted to besubmerged into the molten metal, and means for conducting water intosaid generator shell and discharging it therefrom at a point beneath thepoint of communication between the generator shell and the steamconducting pipe.

2. In an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steam generator shell,a water con-- ducting pipe leading downwardly 1n said generator shellfrom its upper end to a point adjacent to its lower end, means throughwhich a restricted quantity of water is admitted to said pipe to passthere' through to the lower end of the generator shell, and a steampipe'having communication with the upper portion of generator shell andhaving an open discharge end located exterior of the generator shell,the generator shell and the open end ot the steam pipe being adapted tobe submerged in the molten metal.

3. In an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steam generator shell,a water conducting pipe leading downwardly within said shell from itsupper end, the said pipe being open to communication with the in- Iterior of the generator shell at its lower end,

a heat transmitting material in said shell around said water conductingpipe through which the water is adapted to percolatc, and a steam pipehaving cou'nnunication with the upper portion of said generator shelland having an openidischarge end located exterior of the shell, thegenerator shell and the open end of the steam )ipe being adapted to besubmerged in the mo ten metal.

4. In an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steam generator shell,a water conducting pipe leading downwardly from the upper end of saidgenerator shell and having open communication with thelowe'r portion ofsaid shell, a jet device through which water is delivered in arestricted quantity to said water conducting pipe, and a steam pipeleading from the upper portion of said generator shell, having an openend located exterior of the shell, the generator shell and the open endof the steam pipe being adapted to be submerged in the molten metal.

5. In an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steam generator shell,a water conducting pipe leading downwardly with said shell from itsupper end and having com munication with the lower portion of the i theopen end of the steam shell, a jet plate through which a restrictedIquantity of water is admitted to said water conducting pipe, and a steamconducting pipe having communication with the upper portion of saidgenerator shell and having an open discharge end located exiterior ofthe shell, the generator shell and pipe being adapted to be submerged inthe molten metal.

6. An apparatus -for agitating molten metal, comprising a steamgenerator shell, a water conducting pipe leading downwardly within saidshell and from which [water is discharged into the lower portion of thegenerator shell, means for delivering a restricted quantity of water tosaid conducting pipe, a filter through which the Water passes previousto its passage through said delivery means, and a steam conducting pipeleading from the upper portion of said generator shell and having anopen discharge end located extcrior of the generator shell, thegenerator shell and the open end of the steam pipe being adapted to besubmerged in the molten metal.

7. In an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steam generator shell,a water conducting pipe leading downwardly within said shell from itsupper and, and having communication with the lower portion of saidgenerator shell, a jet plate above said water conducting pipe, a filterconnected to said generator shell and seating on said jet plate, thesaid filter being provided with a duct leading to said jet plate, and asteam pipe leading from the upper portion of said generator shell andhaving an open discharge end located exterior of the shell, thegenerator shell and the open end of the steam pipe being adapted to besubmerged in the molten metal.

8. In an apparatus for agitating molten metal, a steam generator shell,means for conducting water into the lower portion of said generatorshell, a steam pipe leadingfrom the upper portion of said shell andhaving an open discharge end located eX- terior of the generator shell,the generator shell and the open end of the steam=pipe being adapted tobe submerged in the molten metal, and a shield surrounding the upperportion of said generator shell, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

JOHN O. BARDILL.

In the presence of D. L. GLnAvEs, Gno. L. OLMSTED.

